Curable compositions which are particularly suitable as encapsulating or adhesive compositions have previously been prepared from epoxy resins such as phenol-aldehyde epoxy resins, cresol-aldehyde epoxy resins, bisphenol A epoxy resins, and the like. However, while these resins result in encapsulating compositions suitable for use in encapsulating electrical and electronic components and which are suitable in adhesive compositions, it would be desirable if such compositions had an improvement in one or more of the following: moisture resistance to prevent circuitry corrosion, resistance to thermal shock, stable electrical properties at elevated temperatures, lap shear strength and the like.
It has now been discovered that the present invention provides an improvement in one or more of the following: moisture resistance; chemical resistance; thermal cycling characteristics and resistance to thermal shock; elevated temperature electrical properties; shrinkage characteristics; retention of physical, thermal, and electrical properties after moisture exposure; lap shear strength at elevated temperatures and milder exotherms during the curing process.